News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 11, 2006

Bridgeport Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Trafficking Charge

June W. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England and Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILFREDO MARTINEZ, age 50, of 1054 Hancock Avenue, Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to one count of an Indictment charging him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, in June 2005, the Bridgeport DEA’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force commenced an investigation into a cocaine trafficking operation in Bridgeport, which eventually included court-authorized wiretaps of telephones used by certain members of the operation, and closed circuit television monitoring of an office used by the traffickers for narcotics-related activities.

MARTINEZ and several others alleged to be involved in this narcotics trafficking ring were indicted by a federal grand jury on May 2, 2006.

MARTINEZ is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Stefan R. Underhill on January 8, 2007, at which time MARTINEZ faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum term of 40 years and a fine of up to $2,000,000.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, which includes the Stratford, Norwalk, Stamford, Greenwich, New Canaan, and Easton Police Departments.